The Specter's Desire

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 29 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • character development
The Specter's Desire Game Cover
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In "The Specter's Desire" , you play as Colton, an editor who becomes a Rising Star in Aurea's annual Desire Hierarchy to make his dreams come true. But when his parents are kidnapped by a ghost named Spectra, he must fight to win the competition and save them. This year's Hierarchy has ghosts causing chaos, making it more challenging than ever before.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The Specter's Desire features consistently great writing and a diverse cast of well-developed characters, making it a captivating experience.
  • The game offers a staggering amount of content, with over 100 hours of gameplay filled with various puzzles and engaging encounters.
  • The unique blend of gameplay mechanics, including card games, social deduction, and logic puzzles, keeps the experience fresh and challenging throughout.
  • Some encounters and puzzles can feel hit-or-miss, with certain segments being less engaging or overly complex, leading to potential frustration.
  • The investigation segments between the main games can drag on and may not hold the same level of interest as the core gameplay.
  • The final act's encounters are perceived as underwhelming compared to earlier chapters, with some players feeling fatigued by the repetitive nature of the gameplay.
  • story38 mentions

    The story centers around Colton Hall, a young man navigating a high-stakes game tournament in a celebrity-driven city, blending elements of mystery, humor, and character-driven interactions. Players engage in unique challenges that enhance the narrative, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps them invested, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and antagonist development. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its depth and integration with gameplay, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The author has created a novel that is very unlike other visual novels, and has done so uncompromisingly: it is a novel inspired by works in the genre of death games without death games, with many mini-games and a plot without the usual visual novel tropes.”
    • “The story revolves around someone who's gotten caught up in this big game tournament of celebrities and those deemed the most important of the city, a city that's more dictated by celebrity culture than the rest of the country, and the mysteries surrounding some of the key players that were once involved with this tourney.”
    • “Every chapter had its highlights one way or another thanks to the expert storytelling, whether it was through the humor, the mystery and suspense, the character interactions, or the games (within the game).”
    • “Another issue I had was with how the story handles antagonists.”
    • “Being a story centered around a game focused on deception and betrayal, you encounter this pattern of character development quite a few times with quite a few antagonists, and it frustrates each time.”
    • “It's a bit disappointing for a chunk of this plot to be relegated to phone calls with Colton's friend, describing his findings every couple of chapters.”
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay in "The Specter's Desire" is noted for its impressive diversity and creativity, featuring a wide range of mechanics and encounters that enhance the visual novel experience. While some segments are engaging and well-executed, others can feel clunky or less polished, particularly in the final encounter. Overall, despite some inconsistencies, the game successfully integrates gameplay with its narrative, making it a standout indie project.

    • “There's an incredible diversity of gameplay on display for a visual novel; the overarching narrative is gripping, and the protagonist is well-written and fun to root for.”
    • “I'm in awe at the variety of mechanics and encounters in this game. It feels like something this ambitious should have taken twice as long to make, especially with such a small team behind it.”
    • “There are fifty-two encounters, with dozens of different styles of gameplay that will test your memory and pattern recognition skills, attention to detail, and murder mystery savviness.”
    • “The variety of gameplay in this visual novel is both a strength and a fault.”
    • “Additionally, I found the final encounter that more or less just mashed every type of gameplay into one escape puzzle to be a bit messy and clunky.”
    • “I assume this was an engine limitation, but it was still frustrating, especially in the endgame which seemed meticulously designed to bring back all of the worst points of the game, gameplay-wise.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The game offers extensive character development, particularly for the main character, allowing players to explore diverse philosophies and motivations. However, the frequent focus on deception and betrayal can lead to frustration, especially regarding the development of antagonists.

    • “Thanks to the game's size, there's a lot of room for character development of all types, especially for the main character. You also get to see the nitty-gritty of everyone's philosophies, which can be very interesting to some.”
    • “Being a story centered around deception and betrayal, you encounter this pattern of character development quite a few times with several antagonists, and it adds a layer of frustration each time.”
    • “Being a story centered around a game focused on deception and betrayal, you encounter this pattern of character development quite a few times with several antagonists, and it frustrates each time.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and predictable, lacking the depth needed to make the players truly care about their journeys.”
    • “While there are moments of potential, the overall character arcs are underwhelming and fail to deliver any meaningful growth.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game shines through the interactions between the diverse cast, with their clashing personalities providing comedic relief amidst tense situations. Each chapter features highlights that blend humor with storytelling, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Above all, the cast is best when they are interacting with each other, differing personalities clashing in humorous ways that contribute a nice sprinkle of comedy to the otherwise tense situations Colton finds himself in throughout the story.”
    • “Every chapter had its highlights one way or another thanks to the expert storytelling, whether it was through the humor, the mystery and suspense, the character interactions, or the games (within the game).”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for being fun and clever, complementing the overall great art and voice acting. Players appreciate its quality, noting that it enhances the gaming experience despite any frustrating segments.

    • “Mostly, it's fun, it's clever, the art, music, and voice acting are great, and whatever frustrating segment you hit will probably be over and done with quickly.”
    • “And while it's a small thing, I really dig the music.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game compelling, as it evokes a sense of urgency and seriousness, prompting them to strategize and confront challenging adversaries.

    • “It consistently made me feel like it was suddenly time to get serious, to think of solutions, to outwit a challenging foe.”
  • graphics1 mentions

    Reviewers note that the graphics could benefit from more diverse backgrounds and visuals, particularly in text-heavy areas like escape rooms, where enhanced visuals could improve the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and intricate details that truly bring the game world to life.”
    • “Each environment is beautifully crafted, making exploration a visual delight.”
    • “The character designs are impressive, showcasing a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.”
    • “The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
    • “The character models are poorly designed and lack any real depth or personality.”
    • “The environments are bland and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
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